Review of History and Political Science December 2015, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 59-68 ISSN: 2333-5718 (Print), 2333-5726 (Online) Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development DOI: 10.15640/rhps.v3n2a7 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.15640/rhps.v3n2a7 Latin American cinema in the Cold War Historiographical construction in the film story of the Cuban Revolution Clobas Maggi, Mariano Daniel1, Mengo, Renee Isabel2 & Tenaglia, Pablo Ruben3 Abstract The "Cold War" means the long, open rivalry that pitted the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with their respective allies since the end of World War II in 1945 until the dissolution of the Soviet bloc in 1991. In Latin America, the tension of the period, materialized in one of the political and revolutionary landmarks of the continent, known as the Cuban Revolution of January 1, 1959. In this essay, compares and describes the construction of historiographical account of the occurrence of this revolution as the most important Latin American historical event period. Made more than fifty years have happened, continues to arouse interest in interpretation, in this particular case from the perspective of two selected films: "Memories of Underdevelopment" Cuban director Tomas Gutiérrez Alea, 1966, categorized as one of the 100 best films of Latin American cinema and "Before Night Falls" by US director Julian Schnabel, 2000, which deals with the life and work of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas in and out of the Revolution. Film and history converge in the historiographical construction of an event. Key Words: Cold War - Latin America- Cuban revolution - Construction historiographical - Film story Introduction The "ColdWar" means thelong and openrivalry thatpitted the UnitedStates(US) andthe Union of SovietSocialist Republics(USSR) and theiralliessince the end ofWorld War IIin 1945and upthe dissolution of theSoviet blocin 1991.This conflictwas the key toglobal internationalrelationsfor half a centuryandwas fought inthe political, economic, propaganda, cultural and militaryfronts. Risingsuperpowernucleararsenals thatwereaccumulatingpreventeda direct war that nobody had won, however, US and the USSR and his followers used intimidation, propaganda, subversion, or war by interposed allies, generating conflicts incontrol regionsfor the respectivehegemons, aswere the warsof Korea andVietnamamong others. 1 Student of the BA in Film and TV, Faculty of Arts, National University of Cordoba. Student technician in production and realization of media, ECI, National University of Cordoba. Pasaje Valtodano 1372-10° Piso, 5000- Córdoba-Argentina, E-mail: [email protected] 2 Doctor of Social Communication degree from the University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain. Graduate and Professor of History, graduated from the Catholic University of Córdoba. Teaching Assistant in the Department of Contemporary Social History of the ECI-UNC. Teaching Assistant competitive in Córdoba Regional Faculty of the UTN.Sol de Mayo 420-T.La Niña-10° “B”, 5003- Córdoba-Argentina, E-mail: [email protected] 3 Doctoral Fellow Type II (CONICET). PhD in Social Studies of Latin America, in line Interdisciplinary Analysis and Contemporary Political History (CEA-UNC). Degree in Social Communication. (ECI-UNC). Teaching assistant in the Department of Social History and Contemporary Wizard competitive in Teaching Practice Workshop III of the Degree and University Professors in Social Communication. (ECI-UNC).Rondeau 255- 8° “B”, 5000- Córdoba-Argentina, E-mail: [email protected] 60 Review of History and Political Science, Vol. 3(2), December 2015 It was not easy for Latin America share the continent with the US, given that the direct interference of the great power, did not hesitate to intervene, control, depose and subordinate the life of nations, a feature that in some cases has come to this beyond the change in the world order. A turning point in the context of this historic step was for the region, the Cuban Revolution, made a double historiographical sign slope in any story that was made from this incident. When the Cold War ended in 1991 with the collapse of the Eastern bloc and the victory of Western, Latin America was in a situation where he had not taken any advantage of this confrontation almost half a century. By that time, the region was out of armed conflicts that marked different countries and was free of military regimes, but have accumulated no independent social or economic benefit that would allow him to escape from the tutelage of the US. Ceased that confrontation, without any achievement in his favor at the stage where he could do so, the Latin American space start democratic life with great social debt, neoliberal trials and even neopopulism, in relation to the global context, it has not been allowed to give big change despite their potential. Moreover, the Cold War was played not only in the field of politics. The hegemony of the United States also was felt in the cultural field through films, magazines, foundations and academia, among others. Also, Latin America began a rich production period both the literary as in painting, theater, music and especially movies. After the euphoria and the virulence of the 60s' a culturally homogeneous Latin America, based in the symbolic and armed struggle of young idealists that fostered a more just continent, he came a cruel and sad stage where decisions are implemented by force lagging for years, the will of the people expressed in the use of the polls, these decades characterized by gross violations of human rights and crimes against humanity. Subsequently, the region were imposed neoliberal measures that the situation of structural underdevelopment, tempted many governments in the region to withdraw their sovereignty in exchange for negotiated benefiting rich strata of nations. The result of all this, is that in the new century, the region continues to face unequal levels of development, with fields and dissimilar perspectives and even with sharp internal confrontations, despite new trends developing policies. However, there is a unit of language, culture and above all a common problem that encourages the search for an overview and shared solutions. In this essay, it contextualizes and analyzes the historiographical account of two film productions to the event of the "Cuban Revolution" as the most important period of the Cold War Latin American historical fact. Event in American territory proposed the ideological divide Cuba / USA contrary to what was happening in the world with the ideological representation of the two hegemons USSR / USA. 1. Latin America and the events of the period Beyond the success of the Cuban Revolution, as divisive milestone in the construction of new historiographical stories on our continent, you can not fail to mention other events and processes that shaped the geopolitical context of the region in this period.The emergence and development of mass political movements of great importance as Varguismo in Brazil and Peronism in Argentina, subject I have dealt among others Ernesto Laclau (2005) stand out; Elizabeth Aguilar (2007); Jorge Lanzaro (2003). Moreover, although the coups were started in the 30's, during the Cold War, they gained a periodicity countries marked its historical development. So initially they cited, when the US were unwilling to consent whims or hesitation in various governments. At the summit in 1948 they put Bogotá order, creating the OAS and placing the other republics of the continent at the option of confrontation or submission. The trend was almost always into submission. Shortly after dictatorial regimes in various countries (Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba) were established, while that others (Trujillo, Dominican Republic) consolidaited. Finally in the biennium 1954-1955 was terminated for allegedly nationalist or actual experiences of Arbenz in Guatemala, where after the coup, won by various means restrictive of freedoms orientation, favorable to the interests of Washington. After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, something that develops in the next section start is given to a cruel moment that between the 70s and the 80s, set the bloodiest and most repressive dictatorships, as were those of Chile with Pinochet; Process of National Reorganization in Argentina with Videla and over two decades (1964-1985), in an acute phase of the Cold War after the Cuban missile crisis in Cuba; Brazil experienced the longest period of his authoritarian republican history, with the suspension of political rights of opposition leaders considered, press censorship, mass arrests of political opponents, torture and murder. Clobas, Mengo & Tenaglia 61 Also in Paraguay, with one of the Stroessner dictatorship between longer in power was restored. In Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza (Jr), presided over the country as a particular case of civil dictatorship. They related to the above, and with the help of foreign loans without any true and sustainable economic planning in financial and monetary matters (which was extraordinarily indebted nations), military dictatorships and economic policies proposed -and the managed- consolidation and expansion of a small number of national and / or multinational companies, often belonging to the same group, in charge of production were made and took over the major portion of the domestic market, so the number democratic opening is He did in the midst of a great crisis of the Latin American foreign debt,